Evangelion: Shinji's Gift
by bringonthespam
Summary: Shinji's depressed again, and this time its because of the ever popular holiday Valentine's Day. See what Misato and Asuka do to try and cheer him up.


Evangelion: Shinji's Gift

Shinji was sitting in his bedroom staring at the ceiling like he always did on a lazy morning. Today wasn't much different from any others. It WAS Valentine's Day, but to Shinji this didn't mean anything. Every year a boy or girl would give something to the boy or girl that they had a crush on. No one had ever given Shinji a Valentine's Day present before in his whole life. This depressed him because he had no one to give him a present before. His father wasn't one for holidays in general, and his mother as dead, so it left him very empty and alone. However, Shinji has still carried on every Valentine's Day even when it seemed like everyone and their mother was receiving a gift from some guy they liked or didn't like in some cases.

Shinji went into the living room where Asuka and Misato were already munching on breakfast. Asuka had made it, and Misato and Shinji were curious as to whether or not Asuka was as good of a cook as Shinji was. The food wasn't bad, considering Asuka was rampantly destroying everything in sight to find half of the ingredients. It was waffles, and Shinji sure did love his waffles. He actually smirked a bit just before plopping down at the table in between the two women.

"Hey Shinji," Asuka teased, "I bet you're gonna get something from a pretty girl today!"

"Oh, really?" Shinji asked, "Who…what?"

"This!" Asuka picked up one of the strawberries that was on her plate, put it on her spoon, and she flung it right at Shinji who was taken a back by the fruit smacking him in the face.

"HA, Shinji! It was a joke, loosen up!"

"Oh…heh heh, that was a good one, Asuka." Shinji whispered intimidated at Asuka's seemingly cruel sense of humor.

This had really hurt Shinji because he had gotten his hopes up when Asuka told him that he'd be getting something. It definitely wasn't something that people joked around with him about, especially since he was so sensitive when everyone was giving each other things on this day and he got nothing. A small tear formed in Shinji's eye. It went unnoticed by Asuka, but Misato was looking straight at him when it happened. She could see his downcast, somber face as he was shaken and nearly crying.

"Umm…" Shinji said with tears in his eyes, "I'm…going to my room. If…anyone needs…anything, I'll be in there."

Shinji ran like his life depended on it before he broke down in front of everyone. He thought that no one had seen it or known about it yet, thus he believed that no one suspected that he was about to cry.

"Asuka…" Misato started, "That wasn't very nice."

"Oh, come on Misato, Golden Child over there needs to learn how to take criticism better. Besides, it was a joke. You can't blame me for taking a shot at him."

"Asuka…did you know that…Shinji has never received a gift on Valentine's Day?"

"Well, no…but, not everyone is fortunate enough to get one!"

"Did you also know that he sees everybody around him getting things and it breaks him apart just thinking about it? For god's sake, he told me he is constantly reminded of his parents on this day! The way his father abandoned him, and the way his mother died all linger with him every Valentine's Day! It is much worse than just a normal day when he thinks back on these things!"

"Ok, ok, I'll apologize to him if you'll quit bugging me about it! And, don't forget that my parents weren't around for me when I was growing up, so I know how he feels better than anyone else."

Shinji was in his room with tears running down his cheeks, but he wasn't making any noises whatsoever. He didn't want everyone knowing that he was in pain, because he didn't believe that he was worth getting concerned over. But, it hurt so much when he drove people away. He wanted to reach out to the two people that he had ever really cared about since his own mother died, but it was too hard. He didn't want to be hurt again, like he was when SHE died, and like he was when HE abandoned him.

"Shinji, are you in here!" Asuka yelled in his room like she didn't just see him run in there.

"Y-yes, Asuka!" Shinji said to make his presence known. Asuka came in to the dark room and sat down by Shinji.

"Shinji, at least look at me when I want to talk to you!"

"O-ok, sorry about that."

"You don't need to apologize for every stupid thing you do, Shinji!"

When he turned to look at her, she could finally see the stream flowing from Shinji's eyes. He had never looked more pathetic than he did at that very moment. It actually made Asuka very compassionate towards Shinji at the time.

"Shinji," Asuka said a little bit quieter, "Why are you crying so much? Valentine's Day is nothing but a stupid holiday anyways."

Shinji's voice was broken by his crying, but he got the words out clearly.

"Asuka, this holiday might not be that important, but the feelings people share on this day mean everything to the relationships that people have. I have no one to share these feelings with, thus these feelings do not exist in my mind. It leaves a huge gap in my life, and strips away every good feeling I have about myself. I admit that even though I act like I don't need people, people need each other and there is no one that needs me."

"Shinji, quit being so dramatic. You know what? A lot of people need you here. Misato wouldn't be able to cope with you dying. Hell, she goes into a crying fit when you almost die inside of that Eva. Toji and Kensuke need you. They won't admit it, but those two morons wouldn't be the same without you there. Nerv needs you to protect them with Eva Unit 01. If you weren't around, a lot of people would be dead now."

"But, why? Is it because I'm an Eva pilot? I can't find a reason that these people would have to care about me!"

"Ack…there's just no getting through that head of yours, is there? I came because I wanted to say I'm sorry for flinging the strawberry at you, all right?"

"Oh…that's okay Asuka."

Asuka came out of Shinji's room almost ready to scream.

"(Sigh)…If I have to listen to him ramble on about his lack of self-esteem anymore I'll scream!"

"Give him awhile Asuka. He'll be fine once he's done in there." Misato reassured her.

"I do feel for him, but it isn't a good reason for him to be such a baby."

"I know what we could do for him Asuka (whisper whisper)."

"Oh…that might just work. And, it seems like a good thing to get his mind off of all this dreariness!"

So, Asuka and Misato formulated a plan. It would hopefully make Shinji forget that he was so depressed. They only had a little bit of time to work on it though. They needed to work fast for this plan to be effective. Misato went out to get something while Asuka readied herself at the apartment.

Finally, after an hour, all was set. Misato and Asuka braced themselves for when Shinji finally emerged from his dungeon.

"Get ready, Asuka."

"Right."

Meanwhile, Shinji had stopped crying a while ago, and now he was simply very somber. He heard a lot of loud noises coming from the outside of his room, but he shrugged them off. He sighed and got up off of his bed.

"Well…I suppose I should tell Misato I'm going out." Shinji said as he made his way for the door. He cracked it open just a bit when he smelled something really good. It was something he hadn't had in a long time. This made him think about staying, but he knew that Asuka and Misato were probably still freaked out from when he broke down. Nevertheless, he opened the door and let himself out.

"Hi, Shinji! Are you feeling better!" Asuka said in a sweet and innocent voice. It was too sweet to be Asuka talking to him.

"I…guess…so."

"That's wonderful! You must be very tired after being so down! Come here and sit down next to us, we'll help you relax and unwind!"

She gestured him over to the table where Misato sat waving at him and smiling. There was a feast on the table and it was all crammed on his side.

"All…right. What's going on, Asuka? Is this another joke, because if it is…"

"Oh, you are so silly sometimes, Shinji! This isn't a joke, it's all for you!"

"Well…uh…don't mind if I do…I suppose."

Shinji sat eating and looking up every few seconds. The women just smiled at him when he did.

"This IS weird! Why are they being so nice all of a sudden? Asuka is acting like I'm Kaji or something. Is she delirious? Why is Misato doing this too?" Shinji thought to himself when he was eating and checking on the two to see if they were kidding.

"Do you like it, Shinji? I made it myself!" Misato smiled nervously.

"(Actually I ordered it. Now isn't the time to be prideful with cooking.)" She thought to herself.

"Let's see how Shinji likes this!" Asuka was thinking with a hint of evil.

"Shinji," she said almost seductively, "Would you like it if I gave you a back rub?"

At this, Shinji not only blushed, but he almost choked. This was way too weird for him. He couldn't for the life of him find out why they were doing this for him.

"Uh…all right…if you want to."

Just as Asuka was giving Shinji a massage and Misato started feeding Shinji his food like a girlfriend…

"HEY SHINJI! WHAT'S UP? YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING TODAY!" Toji's voice could be heard throughout the entire apartment.

"YEAH SHINJI! LET'S GO CHECK OUT THAT NEW ELECTRONICS STORE THAT JUST OPENED UP!" Kensuke said right after Toji.

Both of them came in just in time to see Misato feeding Shinji and Asuka's hands on Shinji's back.

"SHINJI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" both of them yelled, "AND WHY DIDN'T YOU INVITE US EARLIER!"

"NO, NO, IT ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, GUYS!"

"Oh, ho, ho, I think it IS what it looks like!" Toji chuckled at Shinji.

"It is not! Now go away the both of you!" Asuka yelled at them, seemingly her normal self again.

"Ah…Massager Girl is mad…(wink wink)!" Toji said suggestively.

"GO!" Asuka yelled again, this time effectively chasing both of them off.

"I'm sorry about the way it looked, Shinji," Misato finally came clean, "We just wanted to cheer you up because you looked so depressed."

"Oh, that's why you did it (chuckle), it was to cheer me up."

"What did you think it was for, idiot!" Asuka yelled at him, still fired up about Toji and Kensuke.

"Thanks, both of you!" Shinji said after a long pause.

At that moment, another knock was heard at the door.

"Toji, Kensuke, if that's you two again, I'll kill you!" Asuka declared.

Another knock was sounded as if she hadn't said a word.

"What!" Asuka said as she swung the door open.

"Oh…it's Wonder Girl! What do you want!"

Rei ignored Asuka's ranting and headed straight for Shinji.

"Hello Ayanami, how are you doing today?"

"Since…today is a special day…I wanted to give you…this." Rei whispered like she always does.

"OH…MY…GOSH!"

It was undoubtedly a Valentine's Day card, a present that Shinji had never received.

"Rei…(starting to sob)…you…don't know…how…happy this makes me!" Shinji said as he gave her a great big hug.

"It is just a piece of paper." Rei reasoned stoically.

"No, it isn't! It shows just how much you care for the person you give it to!"

"Care…I care about, Shinji," Rei said more to herself, confused, than to him. Nevertheless, Shinji heard it and hugged tighter.

"That's great, Rei! I care about you too! All of you, in fact!" Shinji said to all three girls.

They all group hugged Shinji (except for Rei who was still mulling over the issue of her caring for Shinji).

"Happy Valentine's Day, Shinji!" Misato whispered to him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, you dork!" Asuka said with a few tears in her eyes.

And so, they all had a night of feasting and revelry in honor of not only Valentine's Day, but Shinji's breakthrough in becoming more of the kind of person the others knew he always was. ------the end---------


End file.
